Dmc

[CPH]

Hi Does anyone of you know and support DMC. It is a very big Buddhist organisation north of Bangkok. They have thousands of followers.

They talk a lot about hel_l, and how to avoid going to hel_l. They show films and pictures as how they mean it is in hel_l. They claim they have seen this during meditation. This frightens many people.

At the same time they make very large projects which require very large donations. If you want to participate in such a project you must typically donate 20000 baht. You cannot just give a small amount. They have gatherings every month where new project are informed. Some of these projects have a guarantee that you will not go to hel_l if you participate.

Is this really Buddhism, it reminds me of the middleage Catolic church.

[Musongman]

I've always suspected them to be a big money grabbing "religious organisation", there are many Western equivalents. I watch their TV show sometimes out of boredom as it provides amusing segments such as "dream in dream", and the letter answering segment.

Mainstream Buddhism is probably the way to go even for an interested foreigner. IMO.

[lungmi]

The Dhammakaya group is a peseudo-Buddhist sect well known as a very successful money-making machine. They use the authentic Teaching of the Buddha to decoy the people and to suck their money by promising things the Buddha antagonized 2500 ago: The hel_l is inside yourself when you believe that there is a hel_l outside. ---- You cannot ransome yourself (with money) from the hel_l you

creat(ed) by yourself. The only way for liberation is the eightfolded path.

The practice of the Catholic Church in the middle-age had the same aim: make money.

[Xangsamhua]

If you search you'll find other Dhammakaya threads on this forum and references to them in other threads.

I've just started a book on Dhammakaya: Rachelle Scott, Nirvana for Sale? Buddhism, Wealth and the Dhammakaya Temple in Contemporary Thailand. NY, SUNY Press, 2009. I'll review it on this forum when I've finished.

[fabianfred]

They try to claim that their method of meditation is the only way to Nirvana...which is a Samatha style of meditation.

Their founder Luang Por Sodt of Wat Pak Nam actually practiced Vipassana in the last years before he died...but did not have sufficient time to change over to start teaching that.

He also knew that his followers would destroy evidence of his studying vipassana in order to continue teaching the Dhammkaya technique.

When asked by Luang por Jaran of Wat Ampawan ...a fe3llow student of his at Vipassana and a former student of his at Dhammkaya...which technique he would continue to practice he said.....When you have found the real thing, why go back to the false thing.... (excuse my poor translation from the thai.)

[CPH]

If you search you'll find other Dhammakaya threads on this forum and references to them in other threads.

I've just started a book on Dhammakaya: Rachelle Scott, Nirvana for Sale? Buddhism, Wealth and the Dhammakaya Temple in Contemporary Thailand. NY, SUNY Press, 2009. I'll review it on this forum when I've finished.

I will certainly look forward to read your book.

[CPH]

As far as I can see they put a lot of emphasis on making merrit, earlier and coming lifes, all the bad things you should not do like drinking and gambling. And then of course meditation.

I ask my selves, is this really Buddhism, is there really not anymore to this. Where is all the things about being a better person, get rid of anger and greed, etc etc.

Their members claim that they have a very easy and understandable way into Buddhism. Maybe it is because they forget to teach the complicated and hard to understand parts.

[sabaijai]

We already have a lengthy thread on the Dhammakaya movement here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Wat-Phra-Dha...p;hl=dhammakaya